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Many of us have been to training programs that have left us invigorated and excited to take on the next big challenge. On the flip side, we have been to those sessions that require an intravenous drip of caffeine for a presenter whose Powerpoint presentation is killing us softly…one slide at a time!

So what is does it take to captivate your audience? Here are four key actions broken down into steps to give you the EDGE at your next training session:

ENGAGE!The goal off the top is make them comfortable and confident within the group.

Welcome each person as they arrive and let them know that you are happy to have them there.

Provide great food!

Begin with an icebreaker so that each person can share a little bit about themselves.

ENTERTAIN!Training should always be fun and interactive.

Create colourful visuals and key words to support the content rather than reading from your slides.

Add humour whenever possible.

Find ways to create conversation. Moments of brilliance can come from anyone in the room, not just the speaker.

EDUCATE!You’ve got their attention for a limited time only; make the most of it.

Keep it clear and concise.

Ensure that your content is relevant to your audience, and provide real life examples.

“Be still and listen [to yourself]” Iyanla Vanzent said over and over again to the 8,500 life seekers at Oprah’s Lifeclass on Monday night – David and I included. Those words went from my brain straight to my heart. This afternoon, I went to the library [as I do every Saturday] and grabbed Annie Leibowvitz’s Pilgrimage, a coffee table book of photographs that she took of landscapes and rooms because she recognized that she was seeing the world and various types of rooms AGAIN through the eyes of her children. The very first picture is of Robert Frost’s handwritten poem “Stopping by the Woods” wherein the first line reads “My little horse must think it queer to stop without a farm house near”. See, even Robert Frost is telling me to be still and listen. Oprah says “when our insides match our outsides we will have true balance and peace’. Take the time today, just a few minutes to stop, be still and listen. What are you telling you to do? Then, do it.

Hello from sunny Hollywood, California. Let me first congratulate David Graham on the launch of EDGE 3, and say how excited I am to join his team as the California Contributor. I first met David at sea back in 1993. I was a young actor not long out of his teens teaching kids about the history of ship travel and the marvels of the night sky aboard the SS Majestic. David was The Majestic’s cruise director and supervised the training of all newcomers to ship life. For those of you who remember that classic 1970’s show, THE LOVE BOAT, our ship was the one used for exterior shots of the hit series! It was fate when I walked into BOOM! Marketing’s office over a decade later and found David heading up accounts for such respected companies as Canadian Tire and Campbell’s Canada. As a result of his special skills in management training, I had the privilege of traveling across the extraordinarily beautiful nation of Canada training and supervising staff for some amazing programs.

I currently work as a screenwriter and a consultant on marketing strategy here in L.A. I look forward to sharing inspirations and experiences from the entertainment and entertainment-marketing capital of the world, as well as meeting you all at future EDGE 3 events!

What is YOUR edge? Are you cutting edge? Are you living on the edge? Have you taken that step over the edge?

EDGE 3 is about stepping out of your comfort zone and pushing the boundaries to a place that makes you feel excited, alive and even a bit scared. There is an absolute thrill in conquering your fears and a joy in proving to yourself that you can do it.

Conquering that fear could be climbing a mountain, presenting in a boardroom, being honest with a loved one or just taking a different route home. Fear controls us, limits us, and ultimately stands in the way of the goals that we want to achieve. Others control us through fear based tactics, but what if you could bust through those boundaries and carve your own path? How would you feel about yourself? How would others view you?

I am not suggesting that we all go to the edge of a cliff and dangle from a frayed rope; I am suggesting that we shift our perspective of what’s possible in our lives and venture to the edge to see what excitement lies beyond. You deserve an adrenaline rush on a daily basis!

I am thrilled to launch EDGE 3 and so proud of the CAST of Contributors that we have assembled. They each have a fascinating point of view and are generously going to share their life experiences. Join us on our journey as we take you to the edge; it will be an exciting journey!